Natsima Kunajarasdech

Deer is a devoted dog lover and has a nagging intention to start and operate an animal rescue foundation as she is keenly aware of the plight of unloved dogs in the Hua Hin area. She now has two dogs, a local rescue dog and a German Shepherd who are her constant companions and sometimes even let her share the bed they believe belongs to them!  Deer finds that dogs make very uncomplicated companions, since they are much more predictable than people and never seem to let her down. Just being at home, with the dogs, and hosting a dinner party for friends, with some great conversation is enough to make Deer happy. And although she tells me that southern Spain, in particular Malaga (including Alhambra, Cordoba and Marbella) and Seville are places close to her heart because of their rich culture, it is her bedroom that is Deer’s favourite place in the world because it is there that she can totally relax and just be herself. Music is one thing she can’t live without, and having a great speaker allows her to enjoy music to its fullest.  She has a broad taste in music from classical music to Andrea Bocelli, from Pavarotti to smooth jazz. Deer has even curated a series of playlists for different occasions and situations.

Deer was born and raised in Chiang Mai but now prefers to live in Hua Hin because while it is reasonably close to Bangkok, Hua Hin is less heavily developed than Chiang Mai but still has high quality healthcare while allowing a more tranquil lifestyle.  She, like me, enjoys the friendliness and welcoming nature of the broader Hua Hin community as well as the outdoor lifestyle our area is famous for.

As a child, Deer wanted to be a politician because she believed that this would be the best way to help people.  But as she grew, Deer realised that there were indeed many avenues available to her for assisting others in her community. As a young woman, Deer would never have expected she would end up as the boss, working with such high-profile people.

Although her studies were in marketing, Deer first applied her learning in the hospitality industry.  When she moved back to Thailand and was settling into her new home, Deer established a small business catering for intimate dinner parties. Heading a Chef’s Table was a natural progression from this, and then Deer moved into hotel marketing and promotion with a credit card company, all these career paths intertwining to give Deer the rather comprehensive skill set she possesses today. She claims she has the “mother instinct” which allows a woman to multitask so effectively, despite not being a mother herself, but rather a dedicated auntie. And she is in awe of the enormous number of women who work incredibly hard to have it all: husband and children, managing a home and family while working full-time in a career where they have to achieve twice as much as a man to be seen as equally competent and valuable.

At this point in her career, Deer discovered the need to re-evaluate her life, as she was working primarily in Bangkok and the commuting was very hard.  Her quality of life was suffering as a result, so Deer took the initiative and started her own company to regain control. Her first company was Divas Lifestyles, a sales and marketing consultancy, which is now re-brand to NatsimaPR in order to focus more on a public relations side of business.

The term “Riviera” was first applied to the Royal Coast of Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan by a member of the Thai government. Calling this area Thailand’s Riviera was a fitting comparison since it has much in common with both the French and Italian Riviera, including many days of sun each year, a culture of festivals, the potential for yachting, a multicultural population, many golf courses and recreation opportunities, a burgeoning health tourism industry, and much natural scenic beauty.

Deer’s vision for the Royal Coast Riviera Club is that local Thai business owners and entrepreneurs will work alongside the expat business community to promote the Royal Coast area as a fabulous holiday playground, similar to its better-know European namesakes. She believes the club will have an important role in advocacy to influence policy and government decision-making.

One important part of Deer’s life is her passion to continue learning. Deer wants to develop further skills in facilitating deeper co-operation between Thai and non-Thai stakeholders in the business world. She likes to feel she learns something new each day because it is important to keep your mind going. A further newish venture for Deer is the establishment of her own YouTube channel, aptly called DeerCanDo. While still in its infancy, it is already apparent to me there is very little that Deer cannot do.  The channel will be devoted to lifestyle issues, health and wellness. Deer acknowledges the power of social media to do good, provided it is used wisely. With her busy life, Deer doesn’t get the opportunity to read as much as she would like.  She is fond of self-development books, but today her free time is more likely to be spent indulging in podcasts.

Although Khun Deer is a very social person as you would expect from a lady who makes her living in the PR world, she claims to in fact be a very private person. She is able to project a very confident image in her work-life, but is actually quite shy. Deer has a circle of trusted friends who will always be on hand if needed.  Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle with exercise such as yoga and swimming is important to Deer.  She has her own “signature salad” made with rucola, roasted butternut squash, avocado, beetroot, tomatoes and pine nuts, lovingly topped with a dressing made with a trio of vinegars (balsamic, apple cider and red wine), oil, mustard, garlic and a touch of honey.  Deer would even have this as her final meal, given the choice.

First published in huahin.locality.guide on October 29, 2022

Post script – I did meet Khun Deer on my return to Hua Hin and was lucky enough to eat her signature salad, a rare treat indeed. In person, Deer was just as beautiful, inside and out, as I had seen via the internet.